Lawmakers in Bengkulu (Indonesia) were working on a directive to limit the sale of condoms last June, because they fear a higher rate of pre- and extramarital sex, especially among young people. Now Indonesia's Criminal Code has proposed a revision.

One of the article's in the draft threatens to impose a maximum fine of 10 million rupiah ($700) to anyone promoting the sale of "devices to prevent pregnancy", otherwise known as condoms. Another article adds that the provision does not apply to Health Ministry activities and those of registered family planning officials. The revision has gained the support from the government controlled National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN). BKKBN deputy chief Julianto Witjaksono said: "Condoms are sold freely in supermarkets, out in the open. People can just buy them. What if they are bought by teenagers?"

Or view on this: in Indonesia -as everywhere else in the world- there are many young people who want to have sex, also before (or instead of) marriage. If a government or other leaders makes it difficult for these young people to buy condoms, they will have unsafe sex instead, with as results more STD's such as HIV and more unwanted pregnancies -such as the four newborn babies found in Bali's capital Denpasar recently, who were just 'thrown away' in the trash because their young mothers couldn’t care for them.

Making it difficult to buy condoms will just make more young people unhealthy in the end - it certainly will not stop most of them from having sex. Is this proposed revision really needed, or even realistic? What do you think?